1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Owners Manual

Child Restraints
Be sure the child restraint is designed to be used in a
vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that
it meets
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may
find these instructions on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system in
your vehicle, but the child also has to be secured within
the restraint to help reduce the chance
of personal injury.
The instructions that come with the infant or child
restraint will show
you how to do that.
Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
We at General Motors therefore recommend that you
put your child restraint in a rear seat.
Never put a
rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger
seat. Here’s why:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s air
bag inflates. This is because the back of
a
rearfacing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. Always secure
a rear-facing
child restraint in
a rear seat.
You may, however, secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat. Before you secure
1 a forward-facing child restraint, always move the
front passenger seat as far back as it will
go. Or,
secure the child restraint in a rear seat.
Wherever you install it, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move
around in a collision or sudden stop and injure people in
the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child
restraint in your vehicle
-- even when no child is in it.
1-50
ProCarManuals.com

Top Strap
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored.
If you need to have an anchor installed, you
can ask your
GM dealer to put it in for you. If you want
to install an anchor yourself, your dealer can tell
you
how to do it.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one.
1. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
2. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
1-51
ProCarManuals.com

3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face or
neck, put it behind the child restraint.
P
p:
5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
1-52
ProCarManuals.com

6. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor while you push down on the
child restraint.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back
ail the way. The safety belt
will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult
or larger child passenger. directions to be sure it is secure.
1-53
ProCarManuals.com

Securing a Child Restraint in a Center
Seat Position
You’ll be using the lap belt.
See the earlier part about the top strap if the child
restraint has one. 1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling
it along the belt.
2. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
3. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
4. Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.
1-54
ProCarManuals.com

6. To tighten the belt, pull its free end while you push
down on the child restraint.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure. If it isn’t, secure the
restraint in a different place in the vehicle and
contact the child restraint maker for their advice
about how to attach the child restraint properly.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt.
It will be ready to work for an adult or larger
child passenger.
5. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if
you ever had to.
1-55
ProCarManuals.com

Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag. Never
put a rear-facing child restraint in this seat. Here’s why:
A child in a rearfacing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s air
bag inflates. This is because the back of a
rearfacing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. Always secure a rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
I I
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one.
1. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger air
bag, always move the seat as far back as it will go
before securing
a forward-facing child restraint. (See
“Seats’’ in the Index.)
2. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
3. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
ProCarManuals.com

4. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
If the shoulder belt
goes in front of the child’s face or
neck, put it behind
the child restraint.
6. Pull the rest of the lap belt all the way out of the
retractor to set the lock.
5. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
1-57
ProCarManuals.com